Claudette Cantin , Jaime Gutiérrez , Reyna Peñailillo , Matthew W. Kemp , Ling-Jun Li , Lara J. Monteiro , Sebastián E. Illanes , Andrea Leiva
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Maternal physiological hypercholesterolemia (MPH; total cholesterol (TC)≤280 mg/dL) occurs during pregnancy to support fetal growth. When TC exceeds this threshold, this condition is recognized as maternal supraphysiological hypercholesterolemia (MSPH), which is associated with endothelial dysfunction in the maternal and fetoplacental vasculature. Placenta-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), which mediate intercellular communication during pregnancy, may contribute to MSPH by affecting endothelial cells.
Aim
To characterize EVs isolated from MPH and MSPH term placentas and assess their effects on endothelial function in vitro.
Methods
EVs from term MPH (n = 10) and MSPH (n = 10) placental explants were purified by differential ultracentrifugation. EVs were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), transmission electron microscopy, and analysis of protein markers and content. MPH- and MSPH-EVs were labeled to assess their uptake by endothelial cells (HMEC-1). Their effects on angiogenesis, endothelial activation, endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) protein expression and NO levels were evaluated.
Results
The concentration and morphology of placental EVs from MPH and MSPH were comparable. When HMEC-1 were exposed to placenta-derived EVs, MSPH-EVs increased angiogenic capacity. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression was induced regardless of whether vesicles were originated from MPH or MSPH placentas. No differences were observed in eNOS expression or NO production when cells were incubated with placenta-derived EVs from both conditions.
Conclusion
In our in vitro model, MSPH placenta-derived EVs adjusted angiogenesis but did not alter eNOS expression or activity in endothelial cells. Our findings suggest that placental EVs could have a protective role in the NO-associated endothelial dysfunction described in MSPH pregnancies.
期刊介绍:
Placenta publishes high-quality original articles and invited topical reviews on all aspects of human and animal placentation, and the interactions between the mother, the placenta and fetal development. Topics covered include evolution, development, genetics and epigenetics, stem cells, metabolism, transport, immunology, pathology, pharmacology, cell and molecular biology, and developmental programming. The Editors welcome studies on implantation and the endometrium, comparative placentation, the uterine and umbilical circulations, the relationship between fetal and placental development, clinical aspects of altered placental development or function, the placental membranes, the influence of paternal factors on placental development or function, and the assessment of biomarkers of placental disorders.